We still have not forgotten the attack on Pearl Harbor US by Japan on 7th December 1941. The operation was given the name “Hawaii Operation”. The entire operation was kept secret. The target was the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor. 353 Japanese fighters participated in the operation with bombers and torpedo planes. This attack and assault gave the American people a shock and paved their path to enter in the World War 2.
September 11, 2001 attacks, also referred to as 9/11 attacks, by the Islamic Al-Qaeda group on twin towers of world trade center moved the Americans again. It is a wise saying that history repeats itself. These attacks took the people of America in the history…the terrible Hawaii operation. More than 3,000 people died in the 9/11 twin tower attacks. It is said that the world has completely changed after 9/11.The attacks caused serious damage to the economy of the world as a whole. The next day, US print and electronic media was flooded with the headlines like “Day of terror”, “War on terror has begun”, “Acts of War”, “Darkest hour”, “Our nation saw evil”, America’s bloodiest day” and many more like that. This event changed the perception of Islam to the new horizon.
Two years later, reason being given September 11 attacks, US invaded Iraq on March 20, 2003 claiming that Iraq had the weapons of mass destruction. United States alleged these weapons a great threat to the security of people of America. By this, a never ending WAR ON TERROR by United States had started which is still continuing even after the death of Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden.
After this incident, the perception of Islam and soft image of Muslims damaged badly just because of the few militant Muslims. They put the Muslims of all over the world in an unending problematic, awkward, tough and challenging situation. Muslims were treated like terrorists in the western world especially in America after 9/11. Muslim community there could not even feel sorry and express their grief to the frightened Americans just because they were Muslims. They faced the hardest time of their lives over there.
The circumstances are almost same even today. US Muslims are still striving to get their image back. The psychological and emotional trauma led the Americans to develop the hatred feelings for Muslims. Muslims are still paying for few terrorist acts. The people of Iraq and Afghanistan suffered a lot during this era. Pakistan is also in state of fear and misery after announcing itself a strategic partner of US against terrorists. This war on terror took millions of lives in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Every Muslim in the America was asked as if he/she was associated with Al-Qaeda or had links with Osama Bin Laden. Muslims living there for even years and decades were seen as aliens. The same was the case with the Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor attacks. They were misunderstood, disgraced and treated as strangers. They had to show their identity when asked anywhere anytime. Same happened after twin tower attacks. The people of Muslim communities had to register themselves. Many American-Muslims were taken by FBI after 9/11 for no reason just on the basis of doubt and were kept not for days or months but for years. This is how the perception of Islam distorted negatively.
But not to forget, American Japanese united together and strive a lot to recoup their image and status in America. They condemned against the unfair treatment by the government and people of America at every forum and defended their civil rights. They realized that they need to speak out and become more vigorous to defend themselves. Many Muslim communities, organizations and associations in America have also taken steps to get back their identity. They voice their opinion in the media, politics and social forums to reclaim their positive representation and to participate in the society for a better future of America and to make world believe that they are the peace lovers.
Time will tell that will they succeed to change the perception of Islam as a religion of peace and harmony in the western society or not?
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